Nearly all modern imaging devices have multiple settings which are controlled electronically. Purely mechanical controls in imaging devices have become extremely rare. Electronic settings controls in imaging devices provide much greater ease of use and improved image quality for the amateur user, since they can be preprogrammed for a number of different environments. For example, most modern cameras, whether film or digital cameras, have several modes with preprogrammed settings, such as for low light nighttime photography or for high speed sports photography. In each mode settings for exposure time, f-stop, etc are predetermined and programmed into the camera. These preprogrammed modes allow the user to take reasonably good pictures in a number of general types of environments.
In addition, many imaging devices allow the user to manually adjust one or more of the settings in order to deviate from the preprogrammed modes and settings. This allows the more experienced user to increase the quality of the images when none of the preprogrammed modes are well suited to the environment. In fact, with the unlimited variation in environment and the small number of preprogrammed modes in most imaging devices, it is unlikely that a preprogrammed mode will provide the best possible image quality. Furthermore, user's tastes in images vary widely, making it difficult or impossible to program settings which will most please every user.
As digital imaging devices have become increasingly popular, the problem is exacerbated, since digital cameras typically have more settings to adjust than film cameras. For example, digital imaging devices have a white balance setting, which is used to prevent color shifts, ensuring that white objects actually appear white. Thus, even though the number of preprogrammed modes may remain the same in digital cameras as in film cameras, the number of settings to be programmed for each mode is greater. This further decreases the likelihood that the preprogrammed settings will provide the preferred image for every user in a given environment.
Digital cameras are well known in the art and various components thereof are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,919, U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,773, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,010, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all that they disclose.
Digital cameras require a high level of interaction with the user. There are a large number of settings that may be adjusted to optimize and personalize the resulting image quality. However, the process of adjusting the. settings can be cumbersome and confusing to the user. The typical user may not understand many of the settings and how they affect the picture. In addition, the user usually needs settings optimized for only a few situations, and may be satisfied with the preprogrammed modes in other environments.
A need therefore exists for a method of adjusting settings in an imaging device which solves some or all of the above problems.